Dark Choices
by WarriorCats Variable
Summary: Times had changed. The clans had recognized just how vulnerable they were. Hence, a group of elite warriors was made. The mission of the group was put above everything: clan rivalry, lives of clan members, the warrior code, even the will of Starclan. Their purpose: To kill anyone or anything that threaten the clans.
1. Allegiances

**Shadowclan**

 **Leader:** Emeraldstar - she-cat,blue-gray fur

 **Deputy:** Blackface - tom, white tom with black stripes

 **Medicine Cat:** Bigfoot - tom, brown fur

 **Warriors:** Sorreltail - shecat, white fur

Ravenflight - tom, light brown fur

Dawnfur - shecat, pale gray fur

Stormclaw - tom, dark gray fur

Hawkclaw - tom, tortoiseshell fur

Featherwing - shecat, ginger fur

Heavystep - tom, black tabby fur

Shadeheart - tom, light gray fur

Leopardfur - shecat, spotted golden tabby

Cinderflake - shecat, dark brown fur

Cedarnose - tom, ash colored with darker flecks on fur

Ashpelt - shecat, gray fur

 **Apprentices:** Runningpaw - tom, long-limbed, black fur

Leafpaw - shecat, short, light brown tabby fur

Slashpaw - tom, average size, light gray fur, dark eyes

Rainpaw - shecat, tall, badass, pure white she-cat

Jinxpaw - tom, white fur

 **Queens:** Mosspelt - shecat, tortoiseshell fur

Whitetail - shecat, white fur

 **Elders:** Dappleleg - shecat, tortoiseshell fur

Rootfang - tom, black and brown fur

One-ear - tom, has one ear, dark gray fur

 **Thunderclan**

 **Leader:** Sphinxstar - tom, sand colored pelt

 **Deputy:** Nutwhisker - tom, solid brown pelt

 **Medicine Cat:** Graypelt - shecat, light gray fur

 **Warriors:** Mudclaw - tom, mottled dark brown tabby

Crowlace - tom, smoky gray fur

Barkstripe - tom, tabby

Webfoot - tom, dark tabby

Morningflower - shecat, tortoiseshell

Mistyeyes - shecat, gray fur

Tallleg - tom, black and white fur

Tawnyfang - shecat, brown she-cat

Russetfur - shecat, dark ginger

Whiteeye - shecat, black fur

Gingerpelt - shecat, pale ginger fur

Speckletail - shecat, speckled tortoiseshell fur

 **Apprentices:** Frostpaw - shecat, white fur

Bluepaw - shecat, light gray fur

Shrewpaw - tom, black and brown fur

Longpaw - tom, brown fur

 **Queens:** Flake - shecat, ginger fur

 **Elders:** Poppyshade - shecat, white fur

Talonclaw - tom, tabby fur

Smokefur - tom, dark gray fur

 **Riverclan**

 **Leader:** Raggedstar - tom, ginger fur

 **Deputy:** Littleclaw - shecat, white fur

 **Medicine Cat:** Berryheart - tom, white fur

 **Warriors:** Squirrelwing - shecat, orange fur

Fireglaze - shecat, red fur

Mousefur - shecat, dusky brown fur

Spidertongue - tom, dark gray fur

Dustface - tom, white and gray fur

Brightheart - shecat, black and ginger

Whitefoot - tom, black pelt, white paws

Sootpelt - tom, pure black fur

Rainfur - tom, dark gray fur

Goldenpelt - shecat, red fur

Cloudwing - shecat, long hair, white fur

Grayleg - tom, light gray fur, dark gray leg

 **Apprentices:** Cinderpaw - shecat, light gray fur

Thornpaw - tom, brown fur

 **Queens:** Fernwhisker - shecat, dark gray fur

 **Elders:** Limpfoot - tom, tortoiseshell fur

Speckletail - shecat, pale tabby fur

 **Windclan**

 **Leader:** Silverstar - shecat, shiny silver fur

 **Deputy:** Applepelt - shecat, brown fur

 **Medicine Cat:** Leadcloud - shecat, brown fur

 **Warriors:** Kinkfur - tom, tabby fur

Ivytail - shecat, tortoiseshell fur

Snaketail - tom, dark brown tabby fur

Starlingwing - tom, ginger fur

Ferretclaw - tom, gray fur

Pinenose - shecat, pure black fur

Dawnwing - shecat, cream-colored fur

Tigerblaze - tom, dark brown fur

Crowfrost - tom, black and white fur

Snowbird - shecat, pure white fur

Hollybush - shecat, tortoiseshell fur

Iceclaw - shecat, white fur, black paws

 **Apprentices:** Dovepaw - shecat, pale gray fur

Lionpaw - tom, gray fur

Birchpaw - tom, light brown tabby fur

 **Queens:** Sorrelear - shecat, gray and white fur

Flossnose - shecat, black fur

 **Elders:** Nighteye - tom, brown tabby

Onestep - tom, white fur, black spots

Poppy - shecat, dappled tortoishell fur

 **Elite Warriors**

 **Leader:** Claw

 **Second-in-Command:** Foxfur

 **Members:** Goldstripe - tom, ginger fur

Darkfang - tom, black fur

Lionheart - tom, light gray fur

Skywing - shecat, white fur

Snakejaw - shecat, brown fur


	2. Chapter 1: Slashpaw's Realization

Chapter 1: Slashpaw's Realization

"Slashkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day forward you shall be known as Slashpaw. Your mentor will be…"

Emeraldstar hesitated momentarily.

"Your mentor will be Cinderflake," she finished strongly, sending a strange look at Slashpaw. But he wasn't paying attention to his leader. He was too busy thinking about his new mentor. Why had Emeraldstar chosen her? Had she even planned on assignment her at first? Perhaps that was why Emeraldstar had hesitated…

He turned his dark eyes towards his new mentor, sizing her up as she padded towards him with glimmering eyes.

She smiled at him kindly and stepped forward to touch noses with him. As her brown paws lightly tread across the solid ground, Slashpaw backed away in disgust. "You're still sick," he pointed out blatantly, motioning towards her crusted nose. "I don't want to touch noses with you if you're sick."

Cinderflake purred deeply at his bold speaking. "I've been over it the past couple of days, Slashpaw. Trust me, I don't want you to get sick either!" When that didn't convince Slashpaw, she purred out, "Besides, I'd bet you've never touched noses with a she-cat before other than your mother. It's a good thing to practice for later." She winked at him, and Slashpaw felt his cheeks redden furiously, but he got himself back together quickly.

Muttering under his breath, he gingerly stepped forward and bopped her nose with his. "There," he growled, pulling himself away. "Can we go train now?"

Cinderflake rested her tail on his shoulder. "Not yet. You should go talk to your littermates. They just became apprentices with you too, you know." Her soft, soothing voice only annoyed Slashpaw more. "Then they're falling behind as they waste time. Their problem."

Ignoring his statement, Cinderflake ushered him towards his littermates, Rainpaw and Runningpaw. His sister, Rainpaw, jumped gleefully as Slashpaw padded towards them, and she practically ran circles around him in excitement. "Can you believe it? We're finally apprentices! You'll be the best warrior in Shadowclan, Slashpaw, I know you will!" Happily, Rainpaw licked his cheek, and Slashpaw pushed her away roughly with a paw against her chest.

"Whatever," he replied, keeping his gaze emotionless and fur flat. Runningpaw narrowed his eyes at Slashpaw. "You shouldn't keep pushing her around like that."

The two brother's met each other's gazes, and a silent message was sent between the two. They had really never gotten along, and the tension was only increasing until Rainpaw dashed in between the two, apparently oblivious to the tension. "Hey, my mentor is calling me. See you guys later!" Runningpaw said a warm goodbye to her while Slashpaw remained frostily silent, and the two toms stood next to each other until Slashpaw turned away, as silent as a dead cat, and joined his mentor.

* * *

"But then why don't we just track them and take them all out?" Slashpaw asked his mentor questioningly as they padded along the lake, headed towards the Riverclan border.

They were casually patrolling the territory and walking the borders, but it wasn't the other clans they were talking about. Cinderflake looked unusually serious as she answered.

"It's not as simple as that. They aren't like clans. And it's not even just one species. There's foxes, badgers, and twolegs…"

"I get that," Slashpaw interrupted rudely. "What I'm saying is why don't the clans just work together to track them all and just kill them?" Cinderflake stopped dead at his statement and whirled on him, making the light gray apprentice jump back in surprise.

"We _do not_ 'just kill' anybody, Slashpaw. That is against the warrior code." Her face was frozen in a half-snarl, and she glared fiercely at her apprentice with hackles raised. "Do you understand?" she asked, looking him in the eye.

He took a deep, steadying breath and replied, "Of course."

"Good…" she turned back, returning to her normal relaxed self, before yet again being stopped dead in the tracks.

"What about the Elite Warriors? _They_ don't follow the warrior code. Rootfang has told me stories about all the things they've done to protect the clans."

All Slashpaw heard was a heavy sigh, and his mentor veered off, and he followed her until they sat right at the edge of the lake, the small waves running over their paws.

"Slashpaw, the Elite Warriors do exist. They are out there, right now. But that is none of your concern. And you know elders like Rootfang. They'll exaggerate stories all the time."

Slashpaw looked at his mentor's face, and saw that her face was creased in a concern frown as she looked out over the calm lake. "No one has ever told me what they do, though. Is it some big secret?"

"In a way, yes. Only the members know exactly what they go since they're actually there. All we need to know is that they're protecting us from the outside world."

"But I heard there was a time that they didn't exist. When they weren't needed. Why were they made?" Cinderflake flexed her claws into the soft sand beneath her brown paws, frustrated that her apprentice was asking all the right questions.

"You've heard of the clans' history, correct Slashpaw?" When he nodded, she continued, "First it was the loss of Skyclan, then it was Bloodclan, then the loss of the forest, then the uprising of the Dark Forest, all of which required a prophecy to be dealt with. But the clans didn't want to depend on a prophecy every generation to save them all. Cats thought that eventually, Starclan would fail them. So, the previous leaders got together, chose some warriors they thought were suited for the role, and the group was made."

She wrapped up the story and looked at her apprentice, wondering what his reaction would be, but wasn't surprised to see the same emotionless stare going out across the lake. "So…they protect the clans from the outside world, while all the clans do is attack each other when rabbits and mice cross some poorly marked scent lines," Slashpaw interpreted.

"No," Cinderflake disagreed, "clan cats hunt, fight, live, and die for each other. The Elite Warriors deal with everything else. She began twitching uncomfortable as the conversation moved more and more into the controversy.

"Cinderflake, I've heard that what they do is above the code, above any single clan, and even above the will of Starclan. Is that why some cats think that they are a disgrace?"

She was silent for a while as she stood, thinking. Then, all she replied was, "No one is above our way of life. Now, no more questions. Let's go."

But Slashpaw had one more question to ask. "Why didn't they stop the rogues from killing my father, then?"

The question stunned Cinderflake, though she didn't show it. Her surprise melted away into sympathy for the young cat, and she leaned over to give his ear a tender lick, but he pushed himself away and gave her a warning stare.

"Slashpaw, I…I…" she fumbled for words to say, trying to fill the silence as the pair of dark eyes stared her down. "They can't stop everything. That's why we still patrol and defend our borders and learn to fight…"

"So my father couldn't fight well enough, then," Slashpaw concluded for her, "and he got slaughtered like a rat because of it." Without another word, he got to his paws and brushed by his shocked mentor, heading for the Riverclan border. He didn't want to go to camp, he'd just end up having to talk to his dumb littermates some more.

And so the two cats padded away, a small gray tom with thoughtful dark eyes and a dark brown she-cat with invisible terror behind the happy glittering her eyes always had on the outside.

 _I doubt Starclan themselves know what he is thinking._ The thought only drove the fear farther.

* * *

"Let the attack begin…Now!" Rainpaw threw herself at Slashpaw at the command, but he sidestepped and flashed out a paw, tripping her so that she summersaulted and landed on her back. Before she could shake her head clear, Slashpaw was sitting beside her with his paw against her neck, pinning her down.

Ravenflight shook his head. "Come here, Rainpaw, I need to show you that move again." As she padded away, shaking her head to clear it, Slashpaw strutted back to his spot on the side next to Runningpaw who glared at him. "Can't you at least give her a chance? Or at least not make her look like a complete failure? I swear, you do it on purpose sometimes," he hissed.

Slashpaw spared his brother a glance. "That's because I do." He turned his face away so that he wouldn't be tempted to laugh at the gaping, outraged expression of his brother.

Ravenflight beckoned his paw for Slashpaw to come forward again, and he sighed and went over. "We're going to do it again. This time, though, Slashpaw won't be allowed to counterattack at all, including tripping. You are only allowed to dodge."

Slashpaw stared at the warrior. "Are you serious? How is that going to prepare us for a battle?"

Ravenflight narrowed his eyes at the apprentice. "Just do it, Slashpaw. We're training."

Slashpaw shrugged angrily and got into a position in front of his sister and waited with a twitching tail tip for her first move. Rather than diving at him like last time, she crouched and began to circle Slashpaw, analyzing him through narrowed eyes. But all Slashpaw did was sit down on his haunches and yawn as he watch her out of the corner of his eye.

He smirked when he saw her eyes flood with confusion as her brother's lack of effort, but it vanished and he saw her muscles flex as she prepared to pounce. He fell flat onto his belly so that she soared straight over him, and promptly stood back up calmly back onto his haunches as though nothing had happened.

But Rainpaw wasn't through with her attack. Skidding on the dirt, she twisted back around and darted in low, aiming straight for his leg. Nimbly, Slashpaw dodged her attack yet again by rolling. Again, she spun around and attacked. On it repeated and every time Slashpaw expected the mentors to put an end to it, but when he glanced to them, he saw with disgust that they were actually _interested_ in what they were watching.

 _Forget this,_ Slashpaw thought to himself. Forgetting he wasn't supposed to counter her attacks, the next time Rainpaw dashed towards him, he raised his forepaw and brought it smashing down on the top of her head so that her chin slammed into the ground, and gasps were heard around the clearing as a cry of agony erupted from her and blood suddenly bubbled from her mouth.

Quick as a flash, everyone in the clearing was circling around the injured apprentice and roughly pushing Slashpaw out of the way.

"Rainpaw, are you alright? What hurts?" Slashpaw's mentor, Cinderflake asked in concern.

"I bit my tongue," Slashpaw snorted when he heard her pathetic whimper. "It feels like it's almost disconnected."

"Runningpaw, run back to camp. Tell Bigfoot what happened. We'll carry her back," Cinderflake ordered, and Ravenflight was already putting his apprentice on top of his back.

Slashpaw raised a paw to follow them going back to camp, but his mentor stepped in his way, and when he looked up, he saw fire in her eyes.

"What's your problem, Slashpaw?" she hissed. He shrugged. "The whole world, I guess." Cinderflake straightened. "I'll be telling Emeraldstar about this. I can assure you, you'll be spending all your time in camp for a while."

Slashpaw just shrugged again. "And I'll still be able to beat Rainpaw in any training session, even if I'm not allowed to fight back." He plowed through his mentor and sped up to a sprint back to camp, but before he exited, he turned back and meowed, "It makes a lot of sense now. My father couldn't defend himself because he probably never practiced actually being able to _fight back_ ," he put as much venom as he could muster behind his final words, and sprinted away, hearing his mentor's yowls of fury behind him.

He stopped right at the entrance of the camp and looked down to see that droplets of his sister's blood were on the paw he had used to floor her. Closing his eyes, he let out an uneven breath before straightening his back and emptying his eyes of emotion so he looked like his usual self. He licked the blood off his paw and his eyes widened as he realized how much he actually liked the metallic taste. It was richer than the blood of any piece of prey he had killed before. With this new realization in mind, he prepared himself to face his clan.


End file.
